This invention relates generally to the field of musical amplification systems, and more particularly to an improved microphone or pickup system particularly adapted for use with drums and similar percussion instruments. Devices of this general type are known in the art, and the invention lies in specific constructional details of the disclosed embodiments which permit improved fidelity of sound reproduction, and absence of overloading and distortion, convenient manual assembly and disassembly, and lowered cost of production.
It is known in the art to mount microphones or pick-up devices directly upon a percussion instrument, such as a vibrating bar or resonator so that tuned vibrations are directly transmitted thereto, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. to Baschet, 3,229,021 of Jan. 16, 1966. It is also known to mount pickup devices upon a vibrating drum head as illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. to Green, 3,509,264 of Apr. 28, 1970. In the case of the former construction, a separate pickup is required for each distinct tone, and the sound waves and tuned frequency of the structure upon which the pickup is mounted are the same. In the case of the latter construction, this is also true, but the tonal quality of the drum head tends to be destroyed by the fact that the frequency overtones of the vibrating drum head are not necessarily the same as the signal output of the pickup owing to the influence of vibrations imparted by the structure of the drum body.
Another problem incident to the installation of pickups on percussion instruments has been the tendency to overload the associated amplifier during the playing of passages of massive volume. Most pickup devices employed are of dynamic type or variable reluctance type, and the problem has been only partially solved by the provision of feedback circuitry to control resultant distortion. An example of this type of circuitry is found in U.S. Pat. No. to Jesperson, 3,649,737 of Mar. 14, 1972.